The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in collaboration with Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and American Express (AMEX), will cohost ChallengeHER events in Detroit on June 17 and in Colorado Springs on August 22. The initiative aims to provide government contracting education for women entrepreneurs.
"ChallengeHER has helped tens of thousands of women-owned small businesses gain access to federal contracts and grow their revenue by selling to the world’s largest buyer: the U.S. government," said SBA Associate Administrator for Government Contracting and Business Development, Jackie Robinson-Burnette. "Our continued collaboration with Women Impacting Public Policy and American Express on the ChallengeHER initiative reaffirms the SBA’s commitment to leveling the playing field for women-owned businesses in the federal marketplace by investing in and empowering them to connect with federal buyers directly via matchmaking events and by continuously advocating on their behalf."
ChallengeHER seeks to integrate more women-owned firms into the federal government’s supply chain, encourage participation in the SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program, and provide a platform for government agencies to meet qualified women-owned small business contractors.
"WIPP is honored to be a national partner on this much-needed and well-respected program. Now in its eleventh year, we have served nearly 26,000 women-owned small businesses, providing the education and resources needed to navigate the road to success and sustainability during these historical times," said Angela Dingle, President & CEO of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP).
"American Express has a long history of backing small businesses, providing the tools and resources they need to grow and thrive as we aim to help businesses do more business. We’re proud to continue to support ChallengeHER, which unlocks real opportunities for women-owned businesses to drive sales and growth through access to contracts and important connections," said Jessica Ling, Senior Vice President, B2B Marketing at American Express.
Earlier this spring, at a roundtable discussion hosted by the White House marking National Small Business Week, SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman announced that the Biden-Harris Administration exceeded its FY23 small business contracting goal of 23%, awarding an all-time high of 28.4% of federal contract dollars to small businesses. Women-Owned Small Businesses received $30.9 billion in federal contracting dollars in FY23.
The ChallengeHER events offer matchmaking opportunities between women-owned businesses and government contractors along with networking sessions. The initiative also provides world-class programming and training facilitated by subject matter experts on entering and navigating the public sector supply chain. These sessions are available both in-person and online.
The National ChallengeHER Road Tour schedule for 2024 includes:
- Detroit, MI: June 17
- Colorado Springs, CO: August 22
- DMV: October 10 (TBD)
- Ft. Lauderdale, FL: December 3
To register for a ChallengeHER event visit www.ChallengeHER.us.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration:
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As a resource backed by the strength of the federal government, it empowers entrepreneurs with support needed to start, grow or expand their businesses or recover from declared disasters through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations.